Mama’s ‘Pie in the Sky’ Thanksgiving bake sale set to heat up

Time to get your Thanksgiving pie on! Mama’s Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that delivers thousands of healthy hot meals at no cost to San Diego men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS or cancer, is set to once again host the West Coast’s largest bake sale.

Baked by local pastry chefs, caterers and bakeries, the annual Mama’s “Pie in the Sky” Thanksgiving bake sale hopes to sell more than 6,000 pies during the six-week sales period, which starts Oct. 3, and thereby raise over $125,000 to fund more than 40,000 meals.

According to Alberto Cortes, executive director of Mama’s Kitchen, “The Mama’s “Pie in the Sky” bake sale offers fresh pumpkin, pecan, apple and no-sugar added apple pies for just $20 each. All proceeds from pie sales go directly into funding thousands of free, hot and nutritious Mama’s Kitchen meals so that no one living with AIDS or cancer will go hungry in the San Diego community.”

Not only do dozens of pie makers volunteer their time and expertise to bake the pies, but in addition, hundreds of people volunteer to organize the operation and sell the results.

Adds Cortes, “In addition to (the dozens of pie bakers), hundreds of people sign up to be pie sellers – in 2010, there were over 150 individual sellers, and over 80 teams. Then there are hundreds of volunteers who put together, label and box the pies, man the pie distribution sites and do the countless tasks that make our Pie in the Sky sale run smoothly.

While all those taking part share a desire to help people in their time of need, their reasons for doing so are varied and personal.

Matthew Baker, founder, owner and president of Feast on This Catering & Memorable Events is a local chef who contributes his expertise and resources to the bake sale. He and his staff bake 100 pecan pies at the company’s headquarters kitchen in Miramar. Total baking time takes about three hours including prepping, baking and cooling.

As to why he gets involved, Baker, who participates in the bake sale every year, says that, “Being deaf, I have always been sensitive to the struggles and difficulties that others face.”

This event provides a great opportunity for the LGBT community to support the mission of Mama’s Kitchen by buying a pie. It provides the opportunity for our community, affirms our mission, acknowledges our years of work in the LGBT community and supports our current efforts that benefit many members of our community.”

Buyers select a distribution site close to them for pick-up and on Wednesday, Nov. 23, they go to that location to collect their pie.

Pies can be purchased online at mamaspies.org or by calling 619-233-6262.